Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| miło mi Panią poznać | addressee feminine, formal | |
| miło mi Państwa poznać | formal | |
| miło mi cię poznać | /ˈmi.wɔ mi‿ˈt͡ɕɛpɔz.nat͡ɕ/ /ˈmi.wɔ mi‿ˈt͡ɕɛw̃pɔz.nat͡ɕ/ |
informal |
| miło mi was poznać | informal | |
| miło mi Pana poznać | addressee masculine, formal |
This phrase is a polite formula used when being introduced to somebody. In many social situations, you can also shorten the phrase to just Miło mi to say "Nice to [meet you]" more concisely. For an even more formal emphasis, you can say Bardzo mi miło pana/panią poznać.
What does it mean word for word?
The core of the phrase, miło mi … poznać, literally translates to "it is nice to me to meet [you]" or "it is nice to me … to get to know".
Which one should you use?
The phrase changes based on who you are addressing. Use miło mi Pana poznać when addressing a man and miło mi Panią poznać when addressing a woman. For an informal setting, use miło mi cię poznać when speaking to a single person or miło mi was poznać when addressing a group of people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several levels of formality. Use miło mi Pana poznać or miło mi Panią poznać to address a man or woman formally. The form miło mi Państwa poznać is used for a formal plural address. For informal and friendly situations, use miło mi cię poznać for an individual or miło mi was poznać for a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The object of the verb poznać must change to match the gender and formality of the person you are meeting: Pana (masculine singular formal), Panią (feminine singular formal), Państwa (plural formal), cię (singular informal) or was (plural informal).
When do people say it?
When someone says this to you, a common and natural response is Mnie również, which means "To me as well" or "Likewise".
Did you know?
- In Poland, a handshake is the standard physical gesture accompanying miło mi Pana/Panią poznać. Avoid initiating a hug or a kiss on the cheek during a first introduction, as this is usually reserved for people who already know each other.
- The root of poznać comes from the Proto-Indo-European root ǵneh₃-, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'know'.
- In very traditional or old-fashioned Polish etiquette, a man might wait for a woman to offer her hand first before saying miło mi Panią poznać.
Examples in context
- Miło mi cię poznać.Pleased to meet you.This example shows the use of miło mi cię poznać.Tatoeba #457341 by gregloby, translation #456635 by lukaszpp
- Miło mi cię poznać. Jestem mrówkojadem.Pleased to meet you. I am an anteater.Tatoeba #3508106 by Balamax, translation #847927 by Vulgaris
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Piotr is introduced to Katarzyna at a business meeting.
- KatarzynaDzień dobry, jestem Katarzyna.Good morning, I am Katarzyna.
- PiotrDzień dobry, nazywam się Piotr.Good morning, my name is Piotr.
- KatarzynaMiło mi Panią poznać.Pleased to meet you.
- PiotrMnie również.Me as well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pleased to meet you” translations and entries miło mi cię poznać, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mi, miło, pana, poznać, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
